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Vessels engaged in racing should not be flying an Ensign: then their signals become private.

My best guess.

John Germain


> ** Original Subject: Re: lights and shapes
> ** Original Sender: "Trevor J. Kenchington" 
> ** Original Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2003 03:53:35 +0100

> ** Original Message follows...

>
> Jared Sherman wrote:
>
> >  Nevertheless, if I saw a sailboat showing the day shapes for "under 
power" I would be even more astounded. They simply are not used in US waters, 
and I don't even recall seeing them on the tall ships here for OpSail, 
including our own USCG training bark.
>
>
> The crew of "Kruzenshtern" (Russian four-masted barque), when I said on
> her last summer, were punctilious about running a cone, apex downwards,
> to the fore weather yardarm every time the engine came on with the sails
> set, though the barque would have been on top of any other vessel before
> the latter's crew noticed such a small shape amidst such massive rigging.
>
> "Kruzenshtern" also carries steaming lights when motor sailing at night
> -- even though her topsails obscure those lights when seen from ahead.
> Not very helpful.
>
>
> >  There is nothing however that would stop a sailboat from using the same 
signals to show the same condition. Or, a simple flag signal. Of course flag 
signals can also result in rampant confusion. Here the fuel barges all fly 
the Bravo flag (Explosives on board, stand clear) but the racing boats all 
fly a protest flag that looks remarkably similar and I'd hate to bet how many 
sailors couldn't tell the two apart.
>
>
> Bravo hasn't meant "Explosives on board" since the International Code
> was revised in, I think, 1972. Don't quote me but I think it is "I am
> carrying, loading or discharging dangerous substances", which seems to
> include all forms of petroleum.
>
> But the conventional (not obligatory) yacht racing protest flag _is_ the
> Bravo flag of the International Code, not merely similar to it, just as
> many class flags are IC flags used with quite other meanings to those in
> the code book. I guess you just have to know when a signal means what
> the books say it should mean versus when it means something completely
> different.
>
>
> Trevor Kenchington
>
>
> --
> Trevor J. Kenchington PhD                         Gadus@iStar.ca
> Gadus Associates,                                 Office(902) 889-9250
> R.R.#1, Musquodoboit Harbour,                     Fax   (902) 889-9251
> Nova Scotia  B0J 2L0, CANADA                      Home  (902) 889-3555
>
>                      Science Serving the Fisheries
>                       http://home.istar.ca/~gadus


>** --------- End Original Message ----------- **

>

Jersey
British Channel Islands
49�11'30"N
02�06'12"W

   

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